mastermind

Originally destined to be a tentpole theatrical release in May, Kenneth Branagh’s adaptation of the much loved Eoin Colfer books instead premieres as a Disney+ exclusive. It’s a shame in a way, since Branagh’s movie is colorful, kinetic, and highly cinematic with several rollicking set pieces and some Harry Potter-level world building.  On the other hand, the streaming release does at least save fans of the books feeling cheated out of the price of a cinema ticket and a bucket of popcorn as well as a morally ambiguous and frequently ruthless main character. As many predicted, the least interesting thing…